With the application period having ended on September 10th, we are pleased to announce the selection of the three artists that have been invited to participate in “Animation Artist in Residence Tokyo 2015.” This project, organized and run once again this year by the Japan Image Council on behalf of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, gives talented creators from other countries the opportunity to pursue their art while visiting Japan. It was established in order to contribute to the development of media art in this country through the promotion of international exchange and the educational opportunities for Japanese artists this kind of interaction provides.
This year we invited media art creators between the ages of 20 and 35 from all over the world to apply for this program between July 1st and September 10th, and in response we received 250 applications from 61 countries. Three applicants were selected to participate in the program after a process involving a preparatory selection meeting, first selection committee meeting and second selection committee meeting. These artists will spend 70 days living in Tokyo from January 7th to March 17th, 2015 during which time they will each produce a new work of art while participating in various programs including training sessions, screenings, visits to studios and the ateliers of animation artists, and exchanges with educational institutions.
Invited Artists (Gender/Nationality/Age*) *As of January 7th, 2015
Alex Grigg (Male/Australia/27)
Anna Budanova (Female/Russia/36)
Natalia Chernysheva (Female/Russia/30)
*For more information please contact the Japan Image Council
Telephone: +81-3-6670-5676 Fax: +81-3-5466-0054 Website: http://japic.jp/eng/
Invited Artist Profiles
Alex Grigg ( Male / Australia / 27 )
Born in 1987. Graduated from Queensland College of Art in 2008. After working as an animator / designer for varying companies in Australia in Europe, he was invited to join an independent animator’s collective Late Night Work Club in 2013. ‘Phantom Limb,’ a work that he produced there, won the Young Director’s award at Cannes Lions, and the Special Jury Prize at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival, amongst other awards, in 2014.
Artist’s website: www.alexgrigg.com
Phantom Limb
Previous Works
2013 Phantom Limb
2014 Tower Block
Project Overview
“In My Bones”: A film that follows a relationship between a skeleton and his flesh. The two lead a normal life during the day living as one human, but by night the skeleton leaves his flesh to roam the streets searching for a way to replace the partner he was born to. The film would be created with a combination of digital hand drawn and traditional hand drawn elements.
Anna Budanova ( Female / Russia / 26 )
Born in 1988. Graduated from the Ural State Academy of Architecture and Arts in 2011. While enrolled, she participated in varying movies as an animator / art director. Her debut film, ‘The Wound’ won the Special Jury Award for the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2013, the Special Prize for the Hiroshima International Animation Festival 2014, the Grand Prize for the 18th Japan Media Arts Festival, and many other awards.
The Wound
Previous Works
2013 The Wound
Project Overview
A film based on an ancient legend taking place at an Scandinavian shore, where the souls of people who have drowned changes its shape into a monster. The film would be created by hand drawn 2D animation.
Natalia Chernysheva ( Female / Russia / 30 )
Born in 1984. Graduated from the Ural State Academy of Architecture and Arts. After working mainly as an animator for several animation films, her debut film ‘Snowflake’ won the Grand Prix for the Sofia International Animation Film Festival 2013, the Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Prize for the 30th Annual Chicago International Childern’s Film Festival, and many other awards. She has studied in France at La Podriere since 2012, and directed ‘Friends’ as her graduation film in 2014.
Artist’s website: http://cher-nata.blogspot.fr
Friends
Previous Works
2012 Snowflake
2013 The Return
2014 Friends
Project Overview
“Lace Maker”: A film depicting the life of a spider, who his values had been flipped over by the wondrous laced world created by an old lady, after living a trivial life consisted only of capturing flies. The film would be made in hand drawn 2D animation, with the incorporation of various traditional Japanese art forms.
